After Swapping Souls with My Rival Alpha - Chapter 2

The name made Chi Mu shudder all over. She straightened up and slowly turned around.

The moment she laid eyes on Nie Yijun, Chi Mu’s gaze involuntarily lit up.

Nie Yijun had changed—immensely. In Chi Mu’s memory, Nie Yijun was a drab, dusty figure in plain, outdated clothes, always sporting a lifeless low ponytail. Still, what left an impression was her striking face.

Otherwise, with Chi Mu’s severe face blindness, she wouldn’t have recognized her immediately after all these years.

Now, Nie Yijun had her long hair cropped into a chic, stylish bob. She wore a white silk blouse tucked into high-waisted black slacks, looking sharp and confident—an undeniably charismatic Alpha.

Tch. Chi Mu mentally spat. Charismatic, my ass.

“Nie Yijun!” Lan Ting brushed past Chi Mu, cheerfully heading toward her.

Chi Mu frowned at the sight of Lan Ting—who, just moments ago, had blushed from Chi Mu’s flirtation—now smiling brightly as she rushed over to Nie Yijun. It was irritating, like being back in high school again.

Chi Mu would flirt, and Lan Ting would immediately turn around and fawn over Nie Yijun.

What, was Chi Mu that much worse than her?

“Nie Yijun, I’m Lan Ting. Do you remember me?” Lan Ting asked.

“Sorry, I don’t,” Nie Yijun replied.

Hah. She looked different on the outside, but clearly hadn’t changed on the inside—still low EQ, still blunt.

“Nie Yijun’s here?” Hearing the noise, classmates rushed out from the private room. Chi Mu was pushed back inside in the shuffle and sulkily slumped down onto a sofa. She watched as everyone gathered around Nie Yijun like stars orbiting a moon, ushering her in with enthusiasm.

The waiter brought in a round of drinks. Chi Mu downed them one after another. Since when had she ever been the wallflower at class reunions? She was usually the one in the center of attention.

Ugly duckling turned swan. Nie Yijun had completely shed her former dullness.

Qi Shu’er squeezed through the crowd and sat down next to Chi Mu, pouring herself a drink and clinking her glass against Chi Mu’s. “Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad. It’s just that seeing her makes it impossible to be in a good mood,” Chi Mu replied, finishing her drink in one gulp.

“Well, it’s been ages since everyone saw her,” Qi Shu’er said. “Do you know which hospital she’s working at now?”

Chi Mu gave her a look that clearly said, Do I look like I’d know?

“Central Affiliated Hospital!” Qi Shu’er beamed. “Crazy, right? And get this—they invited her to Oxford even before she finished her PhD, afraid she’d stay abroad.”

Chi Mu shot her a sideways glance. “How do you know all this? Did she tell you?”

“From her interview,” Qi Shu’er sipped her wine. “It’s online. Just search and you’ll see.”

“Search, my ass.” Chi Mu replied.

She couldn’t care less how brilliant Nie Yijun was now. In fact, the more impressive she was, the more it pissed Chi Mu off. Why?

Back in college, aside from grades, what did Nie Yijun have going for her?

Weak and pathetic, totally unworthy of an Alpha title.

“Hey,” Qi Shu’er nudged her. “Honestly, Nie Yijun looks great with short hair. She’s got a good skull structure. This cut really suits her—it makes her… magnetic.”

Chi Mu looked over. Nie Yijun sat at the bar, chatting with classmates. Her profile—sharp nose and defined jawline—was impeccable. The short hair did add a refined edge, and the rustic vibe she once had was gone.

“Her pheromones are pretty pungent too,” Chi Mu muttered.

“Pfft!” Qi Shu’er snorted. “You two are kinda alike. At least ten people just asked if she remembered them, and she told them all no. You recognize people by scent, and our top student Nie Yijun clearly sucks at remembering faces.”

“You think I’m like her?” Chi Mu glared, ready to explode.

Qi Shu’er leaned against her shoulder with a grin. She knew how to handle Chi Mu. “No way. You’re way more approachable. I tried talking to her and nearly died of frustration. You’re the better one.”

Flattery always works. Chi Mu leaned back against the sofa, narrowing her eyes at the scene ahead.

Lan Ting hovered beside Nie Yijun, occasionally clinking glasses with her. She clearly wanted to get closer but couldn’t find a way into the conversation.

Chi Mu gripped her glass. She couldn’t fathom Lan Ting’s taste—why ignore her, a tender and attentive Alpha, in favor of a stiff, joyless one like Nie Yijun?

It was the same back in school—and now again.

Damn it. She seriously wanted to punch Nie Yijun just to vent her frustration.

The waiter rolled in a multi-layer cake Chi Mu had ordered, pushing the party to a new high.

“Chi Mu, you ordered this, right?” someone asked.

Chi Mu smiled and nodded. “Enjoy.”

Nie Yijun, still at the bar, took a phone call and stepped outside. Chi Mu took the opportunity to step forward. “Light the candles. Make a wish.”

“Aren’t we waiting for Nie Yijun?” Lan Ting asked.

“She’s not the birthday girl,” Qi Shu’er linked arms with Chi Mu. “We’ve got the star right here. No need to wait.”

She winked at Chi Mu, who raised a brow in response.

“She said she has a video meeting. No clue how long it’ll take. Just save her a piece of cake,” the class monitor said, donning a birthday hat. “Let’s begin!”

Chi Mu looked at the waiter. “Lights off.”

The room dimmed. Chi Mu led the birthday song. The mood was exactly how she liked it—and without Nie Yijun, the world really was a better place.

After the wish and the cake cutting, the class monitor—clearly in high spirits—said, “Chi Mu’s always footing the bill for these reunions. She bought tonight’s cake and the drinks. Next week, dinner’s on me!”

Chi Mu smiled. She’d always gotten along with the class monitor, and nodded in quiet acknowledgment.

“Damn, I won’t make it,” Zhang Yao sighed. “I have an early train tomorrow. Too bad—I’ll miss seeing Nie Yijun again.”

“We’re all classmates,” the monitor reassured her. “There’ll be other chances.”

Chi Mu’s smile froze. Wait—Nie Yijun’s coming next week too?

Why? She paid for tonight. Why should Nie Yijun be part of next week’s dinner?

She gritted her teeth. She’s getting punched tonight, no matter what.

Nie Yijun barely participated in the rest of the night—she spent most of it on a long video call. The others drank and chatted. Many shared their confusion about the future.

After all, not everyone’s a genius. For those in medicine, most were still working through their PhDs or just starting hospital work.

Everyone admired and envied Nie Yijun—even when absent, she was a hot topic.

Chi Mu drank in silence, saying nothing.

“At the end of the day, our beautiful Chi Mu has it best,” a guy said. “Rich family, stopped at undergrad, doesn’t need to worry about money—no one’s better off than her.”

As always, Qi Shu’er was the first to chime in, “Of course! Mumu’s my sugar mommy.”

Chi Mu smiled, ruffling her friend’s hair. Qi Shu’er was a Beta, often joking she was an Omega just to cling to Chi Mu. Chi Mu didn’t mind—she liked her as a friend. Qi Shu’er knew where to draw the line despite her playfulness.

Near the end of the party, Nie Yijun finally reappeared at the door. “Monitor, I’m heading out.”

“Okay,” he hurried over. “I’ve arranged dinner next week. When are you free?”

Chi Mu drained her drink and patted Qi Shu’er’s arm. “You head back yourself. I called a driver. I’ll wait outside.”

“Okay,” Qi Shu’er yawned. “I’ll get a ride.”

As Chi Mu stepped out, the monitor was already returning from seeing Nie Yijun off.

“She left?” Chi Mu asked.

“Yeah, said she had something urgent.”

“I’m leaving too,” Chi Mu waved and quickly walked off.

She reached the elevator just in time to see Nie Yijun enter. Turning on her heel, she dashed down the stairs. If she didn’t land a punch tonight, she’d be losing sleep for days.

Chi Mu was fast. When she reached the club entrance, Nie Yijun hadn’t come out yet. A few seconds later, she emerged while still on a call.

“The Fei’en line’s good, but we’ll have to see if he wakes up within 16 hours post-op.”

Nie Yijun brushed past her. Chi Mu caught a whiff of her pheromones—still that same unpleasant scent she couldn’t describe, like falling into a jar of medicine. Overpowering.

She’d hated that smell in college. Now, it was even worse.

“Nie Yijun,” Chi Mu called out.

Nie Yijun paused, phone still in hand. When she turned and saw Chi Mu, she noticeably froze.

Chi Mu stood on the steps, one hand on her hip. “Remember me?”

“We’ll talk tomorrow at the hospital,” Nie Yijun said, ending the call. She looked Chi Mu up and down. “Chi Mu.”

Chi Mu smiled. Not bad—at least her nemesis still remembered her.

She glanced around—too many cameras, too many people. Plus, the party inside could wrap up any moment. This wasn’t the best place.

“Long-lost classmates meeting again,” she said, stepping closer. They were about the same height. She tilted her chin toward the side. “Care to chat over there?”

Nie Yijun stared at her. “Do we… have anything to talk about?”

Fair. They never had, past or present. If they weren’t arguing, it was already a miracle.

“Sorry,” Nie Yijun checked her watch. “I’m in a rush.”

A blunt rejection. Chi Mu dropped all pretenses of friendliness—there was none to begin with.

Her face darkened. “Nie Yijun, before graduation, I told you—if I ever saw you again, I’d beat you up. Remember that?”

Nie Yijun paused for a few seconds, seemingly trying to recall. Whether she did or not, she replied, “Another time. Not tonight.”

Another time?

Chi Mu wasn’t having it. She grinned at her retreating figure. “Scared, huh? You couldn’t beat me back in school either. Won’t take long—three minutes tops. If not, I’ll follow you to the hospital just to make sure I do.”

Nie Yijun stopped and turned. Better to get it over with than let it drag on. If it’d only take three minutes, she’d go for the quick resolution. “Fine. Where?”

Chi Mu pointed to the right. “That alley.”